Pune: Elderly couple lose Rs 4 Crore in ‘Digital Arrest’ scam
Pune: Elderly couple lose Rs 4 Crore in ‘Digital Arrest’ scam
An elderly couple from Koregaon Park, Pune, lost Rs 4 crore to cybercriminals posing as officials from the CBI and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). The scammers threatened them with “money laundering prosecution” and kept them under “digital arrest” for two months, coercing them into transferring the money.
The couple, aged 78 and 80, who run a spare parts business, were tricked into making multiple payments to eight bank accounts under the pretext of verifying alleged money laundering transactions. The fraudsters claimed to be investigating a case involving a prominent businessman.
The scam began in November when the woman received a video call from someone impersonating a CBI officer. She was shown a fake DRI arrest warrant and warned of immediate arrest unless they cooperated. The fraudsters forced the couple to download a video calling app and remain on camera, claiming a court order required them to be filmed during their “digital arrest.”
The couple’s children, unaware of the situation, learned about the scam after their daughter visited earlier this week. She noticed her mother’s distress and suspicious activities. Upon questioning, the daughter discovered the fraud and took her parents to the cyber police.
The couple transferred funds over two months, believing it was part of an official investigation. Police registered a cheating case following the woman’s complaint on Thursday.
